Sports

Thrills And Challenges Of 4th NSSF

Published

14 years ago

December 28, 2011

The recent 4th National Schools’ Sports Festival (NSSF) in Calabar may have come and gone but its memory will linger on, especially as it saw the emergence of new talents with enormous potential.

Participants were drawn from the nation’s primary and secondary schools and of significant was the fact that it came on the heels of other epochal events, which also aimed at promoting national development.

Some of these events are the National Festival of Arts and Culture, the meeting of the National Council on Information and the Nigeria Air Force Games — all of which were held in Calabar.

Observers say that the smooth conduct of the sports fiesta was largely attributable to the peace and tranquility that prevailed in the state, coupled with the eloquent display of the cultural ambience of the people.

By official account, no fewer than 10,000 athletes and officials from over 22 states competed in 22 events in the male and female categories.

The events included badminton, boxing, chess, football, gymnastics, handball, judo, scrabble, table tennis, taekwando, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, karate and swimming.

At the end of the games, Cross River emerged the overall winners with 114 gold, 104 silver and 100 bronze medals, while Lagos State came second with 89 gold, 72 silver and 80 bronze medals.

Ondo State came third with 62 gold, 65 silver and 75 bronze medals.

Ibrahim Muhammad, the NSSF President, said that the multi-sports fiesta was most useful in diverse and varied ways, stressing that it had addressed, for instance, the issue of age cheating in sports.

“It afforded an opportunity to address the issue of age cheats, which has characterised sports in the country in the last decade. We did everything to ensure that only the right people participated in all the events.

“We expected the national associations to come here and see the young ones on ground and stop using over-aged people to represent Nigeria in sporting meets. We always have the right age in NSSF.

“For us, we believe that this kind of competition will enable us to monitor our athletes, so that their performance could be nurtured to enable them to hit limelight,’’ Mahammad said.

For Gov Liyel Imoke, it was great kudos for the NSSF for embarking on “worthwhile activities that encouraged sports development in Nigeria.

“I believe that this is one activity that will certainly change the face of sports development in Nigeria,” he said.

The governor commended the NSSF for responding to “the great challenge of developing athletes for the future’’, while calling on individuals, corporate organisations and governments at all levels, to commit more resources to sports development.

On his part, Prof. Offiong Offiong, Cross River’s Commissioner for Education, described schools’ sports as a permanent feature of the state’s school curriculum.

According to him, the ministry will continue to take responsibility for providing a conducive environment for learning and recreation in its schools.

Underscoring the relevance of the fiesta, Muhammad reiterated that it served as a functional nursery for new talents in the nation’s sports.

“Indeed, the golden era of Nigeria’s sports was made possible by organised schools’ sports, which has always been the nursery for the discovery and nurturing of budding talents,’’ he said.

However, not all states of the federation participated in the last games and this did not go well with Muhammad, who insisted that such non-participation was detrimental to children’s right to physical and intellectual development.

The NSSF President said that sanctions for the abstaining states were being examined by the federation, so as to dissuade states from not participating in the games in the future.

“Are they saying that unifying Nigerian children through sports is not important? Is it not good to give the child education and sports?

“Is it not important to bring children to interact with their peer groups; what would you achieve in poor social, physical and mental development of the child?’’ he asked.

Besides, Muhammad said that the federation would also pool resources with other stakeholders to fight against violence in sports.

“Violence is not what we need in sports and we at the NSSF do not condone it at all. We promised, prior to the commencement of this festival, to expel any state contingent that got involved in violence. We have zero-tolerance for violence in sports.

“We have always pledged that we will work with any organisation that seeks to promote the development of school sports and we are looking forward to working with ‘1 GAME’,” Muhammad said.

Philip Obaji, founder of “I Game”, an initiative to stem violence in sports, especially football, described the support from NSSF as reassuring, while emphasising that violence of any sort in sports was a source of great concern.

“I’m happy that we are having the support of the NSSF in our fight against violence in schools’ sports. It’s a good thing the sports federation understands the need to stamp out violence, particularly in sporting events like this,” he said.

Obaji expatiated that “1 GAME” had recently shifted the focus of its campaign to school sports, with the launch of the sub-project — “Goal against Violence”.

He said that the basic thrust of the new phase of the campaign was to reach over a million school pupils who are football talented for them to understand the essence of unity, fair play and non-violence.

Nestle Nigeria Plc., which manufactures Milo cocoa drink, was among private firms that made significant presence throughout the fiesta.

One of its managers, Mr. Femi Akintola, said at the games that his firm planned to float a football academy to groom youths for the 2012 African U-13 Championship in Ghana.

He said that the firm’s sponsorship of the U-12 football event at the sports fiesta was part of its modest efforts to develop the game.

According to him, the champions in the fiesta will be camped for several months at the academy, to enable them to blend before the Ghana championship.

“The winners of this competition will be put together in an academy where they will play together for a while and become exposed.

“We do not look at the money we have spent so far but the value we give in the sponsorship by helping children to achieve their dreams. We are creating champions.

“We want to create a platform for Nigerian students to realise their ambitions,” he stressed.

On her part, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayatu Rufai, applauded the role of the NSSF in strengthening the bond of unity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerian youths through the fiesta.

She also thanked the Cross River Government for being a good host, stressing that sports remained a veritable tool for the mental, social and physical development of Nigerian children.

The minister, who was represented at the closing ceremony by Mr Jaato Baba, therefore, urged states, local governments and other stakeholders, to partner with the Federal Government in sports development efforts.

No doubt, the memories of the schools’ sports fiesta will linger on in the minds of all the participants and the general expectation is that the games, as it continues to flourish, will indeed foster unity among Nigerian youths.

Effiong writes for News Agency of Nigeria.

Dianabasi Effiong

Sports

Forest Embarrass Liverpool At Anfield

Published

1 week ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

Liverpool’s season of abject misery worsened as they were beaten with embarrassing ease by a hugely impressive Nottingham Forest at Anfield.

Arne Slot’s Premier League champions were looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Manchester City, but instead ran into a Forest side revitalised under new manager Sean Dyche and looking back to their best.

Liverpool head coach Slot gave £125m British record signing Alexander Isak a start, but he was totally anonymous once more and only lasted 67 minutes.

Forest went ahead after 33 minutes when defender Murillo shot powerfully past fit-again Liverpool keeper Alisson to subdue an already anxious Anfield.

Igor Jesus had a second ruled out for handball, but Forest doubled their advantage 39 seconds after the break when former Liverpool defender Neco Williams set up Nicola Savona for a crisp finish in front of The Kop.

Liverpool could barely raise a response in a desperate display, Forest increasing their lead 12 minutes from time when Morgan Gibbs-White scored after Alisson saved from Omari Hutchinson.

It means Liverpool, who lie 11th before Saturday’s late fixture, have now lost six of their past seven Premier League games as Slot’s near £450m summer spending spree comes under further scrutiny.

Forest, meanwhile, are surging away from the relegation zone and are up to 16th.

Sports

Bundesliga: Oliseh Stars As Bayern Rebound To Thrash Freiburg

Published

1 week ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

Michael Olise scored twice and provided a hat-trick of assists as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from two goals down to thrash Freiburg.

The visitors stunned the defending champions by taking a 2-0 lead after just 17 minutes when Yuito Suzuki scored from close range and Johan Manzambi rose highest to head home Jan-Niklas Beste’s corner.

Bayern, who had not lost in the league since March, responded superbly and had restored parity by half-time.

Teenager Lennart Karl fired into the bottom corner from Olise’s pass in the 22nd minute and set up the Frenchman for a fierce finish in first-half injury-time, although Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu should have done better.

Bayern took control in the second period as Dayot Upamecano headed home Olise’s corner to put them ahead for the first time.

England captain Harry Kane netted his 14th league goal of the campaign on the hour mark, before Olise made it three assists when he threaded a pass through for Nicolas Jackson to finish at the first time of asking in the 78th minute.

Winger Olise completed a sensational afternoon with his second of the game six minutes later, driving at the Freiburg defence and curling into the far corner.

A 10th victory in the first 11 games left Bayern eight points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, while Freiburg remain 10th in the standings.

Vincent Kompany’s side visit Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday with both sides having a perfect record of four wins so far in the league phase of the competition.

AS FAR Morocco Win African Women’s Champions League (8)

AS FAR held firm to beat debutants ASEC Mimosas 2-1 in the African Women’s Champions League final and become continental champions for the second time.

Hanane Ait El Haj put the Moroccan club ahead from the penalty spot in the 13th minute after Safa Banouk had been tripped by Aboa Yapo.

ASEC Mimosas rallied after the break and Ami Priscal Diallo netted a fine header from Sopie Brou’s cross to drag the Ivory Coast club level 10 minutes into the second half.

But AS FAR were handed a second spot-kick in the closing stages when Noura Diarra committed a rash challenge on Sofia Bouftini.

This time it was Zineb Redouani who stepped up to stroke home in the 85th minute and restore her side’s lead.

Asastasie Gbehi came close to forcing extra time but she poked wide of the post in stoppage time, and the centre-back was sent off after the full-time whistle for dissent.

AS FAR move level with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns as two-time winners of the title, having first lifted the trophy in 2022.

The Rabat-based side will now take on Chinese’s Wuhan Jiangda on 14 December for a place at next year’s Fifa Women’s Champions Cup.

The winner of that match will face European champions Arsenal in the semi-finals of the inaugural competition early next year in London.

Sports

Barca Impress On Return To Camp Nou

Published

1 week ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

Barcelona moved to the top of La Liga on Saturday with an emphatic win over 10-man Athletic Club in their first match at the Spotify Camp Nou since May 2023.

Robert Lewandowski scored their first goal back in their iconic home, which had been closed for extensive renovations, in the fourth minute.

Ferran Torres then netted twice in the second half, each assisted by wonderful skill from Lamine Yamal, who was aged just 15 in his only previous Nou Camp appearance.

Fermin Lopez also struck in the 48th minute, while visiting midfielder Oihan Sancet was sent off for a crude challenge on Lopez just six minutes later.

Large sections of the Nou Camp remained closed for the game, which was played in front of a 45,157 crowd.

The rebuilding work, which was originally scheduled to be finished in November 2024, will eventually increase the stadium’s capacity to 105,000.

Barca moved to 31 points from 13 games and top on goal difference, but Real Madrid had the chance to replace them, if they won at Elche in their game in hand, late last night.

Poland striker Lewandowski got his side off to the perfect start when he drove his low shot in off the arm of Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simon for an eighth league goal of the season.

The home side extended their lead in first-half added time as Yamal’s superb pass off the outside of his foot set up Torres for a good finish.

Lopez made it 3-0 three minutes after the restart, drilling a shot past Simon from near the penalty spot.

Sancet’s tackle from behind on Lopez was initially deemed a yellow card, but upgraded to red after the referee consulted with the video assistant referee (VAR).

And just before full-time, Yamal twisted and turned before sending Torres away to claim his second goal, which was originally disallowed for offside but overturned following a VAR check.

It was a dream return to their ground, with the reigning Spanish champions having mostly played at the 55,000 capacity Olympic Stadium on the city’s Montjuic hill since renovations on the Nou Camp began in June 2023.

They were forced to play two matches at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium, home to their women’s team, this season after failing to get a permit for the Nou Camp through safety reasons.

Pogba Returns To Action In Ligue 1 (6)

Paul Pogba played his first minutes of professional football in more than two years as he came off the bench during Monaco’s 4-1 defeat by Rennes at the weekend.

The 32-year-old was introduced in the 85th minute at Rennes’ Roazhon Park, though his side were already four goals and a player down, following a red card for captain Denis Zakaria.

French World Cup winner Pogba broke down in tears when he joined Ligue 1 club Monaco last summer, after his four-year doping ban was reduced to 19 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

Pogba’s last competitive appearance was 811 days ago, when he featured for Juventus in a Serie A match against Empoli on 3 September 2023. He left Juventus by mutual consent in November 2024.

Pogba was provisionally banned from football for four years after a positive test for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in February 2024, following a doping test in August 2023.

Pogba maintained it was a mistake and that he was given a supplement without knowing it contained a banned substance.

The former Manchester United midfielder was permitted to return to football in March following the decision to reduce his ban.

Pogba watched from the bench as goals from Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Mahdi Camara, Breel Embolo and Ludovic Blas put Rennes out of sight.

Fellow substitute Mika Biereth pulled a goal back for Monaco in the 95th minute, but a second consecutive 4-1 defeat means Sebastien Pocognoli’s side drop to eighth in the table with 20 points after 13 games.